2018 Classic in the Country Challenge

The 15th annual Classic in the Country was held this past weekend in Berlin, Ohio. This was my first trip to CITC, but had heard many great things about the play and hospitality. The 2018 CITC lived up to the billing.

A big snowstorm on Friday caused travel woes for many as some teams couldn’t make it for their Saturday games, but the tournament staff and Ohio Girls Basketball Report handled it with class. After some minor schedule changes, the tournament was off and running. Even though the weather outside stayed cold all weekend, the action inside the Perry Reese Junior Community Center was hot. The Classic in the Country hosts many of the top Ohio teams annually which gives spectators the opportunity to get an early look at potential playoff matchups and state champions.

The CITC is held annually over MLK weekend. This is a big weekend across the country for quality high school basketball tournaments, but the CITC is the first MLK weekend tournament that I have attended to make the efforts to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. and his impact on our country. Before each game everyone stood in reverence as we would listen to part of one of MLK’s speeches and reflect on how it spoke truth into our world today. These moments put into perspective that basketball brings people together of all different races and nationalities. Win or lose, the basketball community is one big family that needs to support and respect all players, coaches, referees and spectators no matter our differences because it is our differences that make all a good team.

Even though I wasn’t able to see all the teams play because of travel difficulties, of the teams I saw the following stood:

Ketterington Fairmont High School

Coach Drake has a nice inside-out tandem with 2020
Madeline Westbeld providing the outside scoring and 2020
Madison Bartley taking care of the lane. The role players and bench are solid. Watch for 2020
Makira Webster to have a break out year.

Minster High School

Coach Wiss has shooters across the board on the Minister High School roster. The
Wolf sisters, 2021
Ivy and 2019
Demaris, lead the way on the perimeter while 2018 Xavier signee
Taylor Kogge and 2018
Courtney Prenger provide interior scoring.

Gilmour Academy

2018 Michigan signee
Naz Hillmon leads a talented Gilmour Academy. West Point signee
Sarah Bohn runs the show while 2020
Maddie Puletti and 2019
Annika Corcoran are both quality shooters.

Notre Dame Academy

Coach Galloway has an athletic group who pressures the ball and wants to play fast. 2019
Jala Johnson leads the show for Notre Dame Academy while 2018 Toledo signee
Ariel Cummings holds down the middle.

Mason High School

When you mention Mason High School, Florida State commit
Sammi Puisis comes to mind immediately, but when you get to watch them play you realize Mason has many different weapons. 2019
Sade Tucker runs the show, 2020
Alanna Carter is a lefty who attacks the basket, and 2020
Megan Wagner can shoot it. It must be said.. 2018
Tihanna Fulton is a steal for Florida Southern.

2018 Florida State signee and McDonald’s All-American Selection
Valencia Myers and 2018 Kent State signee
Mariah Modkins lead a young Solon High School team. 2021
Hailey Weaver shows a lot of promise.

Regis Jesuit High School

Regis Jesuit was the one team from outside of Ohio at the event and they brought 2019
Francessca Belibi to Amish country. One of the highlights for the tournament was her dunking in warm-ups and referees not knowing what to do. 2018 Penn signee
Noelle Cahill is going to be solid at the next level while 2020
Jada Moore and 2021
Avery Van Sickle continue to develop every time I see them.

Berlin Hiland High School

Coach Schlabach has a solid group who competes and can shot it. This young team looks to make another deep run in the playoffs. 2021
Kelsey Swihart is one to keep an eye on.

Newark High School

2019 Kent State commit
Katie Shumate and 2019 Miami-Ohio commit
Morgan Sharps lead a scrappy Newark team. Watch for 2020
Gabby Stare and 2021
Emma Shumate to have a break out year.

Huber Heights Wayne High School

Coach Trice has some promising perimeter talent in 2019 Dayton commit
Destiny Bohanon, 2019
Olivia Trice, 2020
Nyla Hampton, and 2021
Bree Hall. The key will be health and how they will defend the interior.

Westerville South High School

With only three seniors, Coach Williams has a young but promising team. 2020 6’3
Gabby Hutcherson is an intriguing prospect to watch.

Lakota West High School

The Firebirds are led by 2018 Notre Dame signee
Abby Prohaska and 2018 Niagara signee
Ally Haar. 2020
Nevaeh Dean provides the interior scoring to go along with a plethora of shooters on the roster.

Reynoldsburg High School

Coach Purtell only has three senior this season so a lot young players are getting plenty of playing time. Two names to watch are 2020
Kyria Walker and 2019
Obianuju Ezeudu.

Wadsworth High School

Wadsworth is lead by a duo of Toledo University signees in
Sophia Fortner and
Lexi Lance. 2020
Taylor Leatherman and
E’Anna Won are names to follow.

North Canton Hoover High School

Coach Allerding has three seniors on this year’s team that is looking to make another deep run in the playoffs. 2018
Makenna Drabick has signed with Eastern Michigan and 2019
Annie Roshak is a player to see.

Elyria Catholic High School

Coach Rothergy’s squad was added to the CITC due to the weather and took full advantage of their opportunity by upsetting Minster. They are led by 2020
Faith Williams, 2020
Ally Winnen, and
Abby Winnen.

Premier Basketball Report National and Global subscribers can access the report in the PBR Database.